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Making a paper boat is a great activity that’s easy to finish and doesn’t require a lot of materials. The beauty of making a paper boat is that you only need one piece of printer paper to complete the task! By folding the paper into sharp creases and shaping it to look like a boat, you can make a great-looking paper boat in minutes.

Steps

Part 1

Creating the Initial Folds

1

Fold an 8 ½ in x 11 in (21.5 cm x 28 cm) sheet of paper in half. Lay the paper down vertically and fold it from left to right so that its corners meet up. You can use ordinary white printer paper, construction paper, or origami paper. This is called folding the paper "hot dog style." Make a neat crease along the paper.[1]

To strengthen the crease, run your finger down the fold 3-4 more times.

2

Unfold the paper, rotate it 90 degrees, and fold it in half again. At this point, the paper should be lying down horizontally. Once you’ve adjusted the paper, fold from left to right. This "hamburger style" fold will create a new crease in the center of the page.[2]

You should now have 2 creases along both centers (x-axis and y-axis) of the page.

3

Flip the paper so that the fold opens toward you. Then, fold down the top corners towards the middle of the paper while leaving 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) of space at the bottom. Make sure the folds line up with the center crease. Crease along the edges to secure the folds.[3]

Use the crease you made before to help line up the folds coming in from the corners.

4

Bring the bottom of the paper up to fold it against both sides. Grab the flap at the bottom of the paper and fold it up against the bottom of the 2 folded triangles. Turn the paper over and do the same thing to the flap on that side. This will make a paper hat.[4]

The 2 folds should line up with each other.

Tip: When you go to fold the second side, use the first fold as a reference point.

5

Take the bottom corners and fold them in. On 1 side of the paper, grab the corners of the rectangle that are sticking out over the triangle. Wrap these parts of the paper around the edges of the triangle and crease them so that they stay wrapped around the edge of the triangle. Then, fold the bottom flaps around the edges of the triangle and back towards you.[5]

The flaps closest to you should be folded in front of the back flaps, not over them. If you fold over the back flaps, you won’t be able to fold the back flaps themselves.

Part 2

Making the Final Folds

1

Make the triangle into a square. Pick up the triangle, rotate it 45 degrees, then use your fingers to open up the bottom of the triangle. Pull the paper apart gently until it pops into a square shape. Make sure the bottom corners of the triangle fold over each other and become the bottom corner of a diamond.[6]

Crease the paper along its edges so that it stays in the square shape.

2

Fold up the bottom flaps. Arrange your paper so that the bottom points of the diamond can fold upward. Fold up 1 corner, aligning it with the top corner. Then, flip the paper over and do the same thing to the other side.[7]

The bottom of the diamond should be the part of the paper with extra folds.

3

Construct the triangle into a square again. Just like last time, pick up the triangle, rotate it 45 degrees, then open up the bottom of your new triangle with your fingers. Crease the paper along its edges so that it stays in the square shape.[8]

The bottom corners will line up to become the bottom point of a square diamond.

4

Pull out the triangles on the side of the square. Start at the top of the diamond, and gently pull the two sides apart so that the seam running down the middle of the diamond blooms. Crease the bottom of the folded out sides to make the boat a bit stronger.[9]

You may need to pull up the triangle inside the diamond while pulling apart the two sides. Try to keep the triangle inside the diamond sticking straight up as this will be your boat's "mast."

5

Float your boat. Fill a small tub with water and place the boat on the water. If it starts to droop a little, keep making small adjustments to keep the sides up and prevent the boat from sinking.[10]

You can reinforce the corners with clear tape and tape around the bottom to keep your boat dry.

Tip: Waterproof your boat! Use a waxed paper from an art store to make your boat last longer, or color one side of the paper completely with a crayon. You can also try to make your boat out of aluminum foil.

wikiHow Video: How to Make a Paper Boat

If you want to make a paper boat, fold a piece of paper in half from top to bottom. Then, fold it again from side to side and unfold so you have a crease in the center. Fold the top right corner down towards the center. Next, flip the paper over and fold the other corner down on the other side. Fold each of the bottom edges of the paper up and outwards to make a paper hat shape. Then, open the hat and flatten it horizontally to create a diamond. Fold the bottom edge of the diamond upwards towards the top. Then, turn the paper over and repeat on the other side. Pull the paper apart again and smooth it out to create a boat shape.

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Tips

Be aware that the heavier the paper you use, the harder the boat will be to make.

If you are floating your boat on a large body of water, like a pond, you can tape string onto one end of the boat. Hold on to the other end of the string so that it doesn't float away!

Try to get the edges of the paper to line up. An evenly made boat means less chances of tipping over.

Make sure you crease well. Use a ruler or a paper folder to make tight folds.

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48 votes - 73%

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Co-authors: 156

Updated: September 8, 2019

Views: 2,686,521

DH

Desmond Hodges

Jul 1

"I really like the IT movies, so I decided I wanted to make Georgie's boat. When I made the first one, it wouldn't float, so I turned to you guys for answers. Now I have my S.S. Georgie!"..." more

A

Anonymous

May 20

"This was lit and I enjoyed it; it was very fun."

Rated this article:

J

James

May 8

"This article was very helpful, thank you."

ER

Emily Rehak

Jul 9, 2016

"I loved how it showed the step in detail, because for some parts I was unsure what it meant. I also loved how it had tips for how to waterproof your boat. I loved the ideas and when I tried all of them, they all worked super well. The details were fun."..." more

KC

Ken Cunningham

Apr 4, 2016

"My grandson wanted a paper boat. The instructions were clear and easy, and he is very happy with the boat! No need to put it in water, it sails on the 7 seas through the imagination of a 6-year-old."..." more

GL

Georgiana Lings

Nov 9, 2016

"I made these boats with my children. I am now 80 and wanted to show my great grandchildren, but had forgotten how to make them. Thank you for your helpful info."..." more

KN

Katie NiCamda

May 6, 2018

"Me and my little brother wanted to make a boat for someone's present for their birthday so we looked it up and tryed this and it was amazing!"..." more

JM

J. M.

Dec 3, 2018

"I wanted to make a boat as decoration for a school project, and this article really helped with precise instructions and detailed videos."..." more

DL

Daniel Long

Apr 12, 2017

"I was bad at first, so I tried this and it was still bad. Then I read more carefully and now I'm really good at it."..." more

Rated this article:

JG

Josie G.

Dec 17, 2018

"Finally, paper boat instructions that are easy to follow and don't miss out crucial steps! Making this was so easy! "..." more

Tracey Valenti

May 4, 2017

"We have been making planes and boats and hats out off A4 and A2 paper and we have had fun making them. Thanks!"

MB

Mary Bailey

Mar 21, 2016

"I needed to find out how long this activity would take, and the article was enormously helpful! Thanks!"

JS

John Smith

Mar 16, 2017

"I am making a dome which has a moat around it, so I needed a boat to set sail, thanks!"

Rated this article:

RM

Rose Moon

Feb 27, 2017

"I loved the split up step by step video and instruction. Very easy to follow! "